by B. M. Hardin
Big Daddy is back…for good this time.
Chapter Ten
“Come on Trina, we goin’ be late,” Devon yelled from the living room. It was my baby sister’s, Shanay’s wedding day, and I was running behind. I had taken a bond late the night before and once I was finished I made my way over to Kareem’s for a late night, early morning---snack. I had overslept and by the time I had arrived home, Devon was already there waiting for me. The wedding was less than a hour away and I was a complete mess. My sisters were calling my phone non-stop and I won’t even mention my hair. Kareem had messed it up and I knew Shanay wouldn’t be happy about it.
The wedding had been rushed and put together in a matter of months. Last minute, Devon was placed in the wedding as a fill in groomsmen. Since my sisters had met him a few times and since Shanay was desperate, we decided that it would be okay if he accepted. I mean after all, he was just a groomsman. Finally we were out the door and on our way to the church.
“It’s my wedding day, you’re supposed to be helping me…not the other way around,” Shanay complained as she finished the last touches of fixing my hair. I rolled my eyes at her. Reese sat beside me giggling and playing with baby Jonah. I still hadn’t processed entirely that she was a mother; her of all people. But for the most part she was doing a pretty good job. Jonah had changed my sister Reese in so many ways. She was still a tough ass lawyer but to be honest, she was a much better sister. She wasn’t a bitch seven days a week; now…it was more like only two. She was a lot more patient and a hell of a lot more sympathetic. And what Jonah hadn’t changed about her, I was sure that her guilty conscious about knowing that the Judge killed his wife to be with her had. Something like that would surely change me.
“Ladies, come on we have no time to argue…it’s almost time,” was all Reese said. Her time would soon be coming as well; the big diamond ring on her finger seemed to be dying for the company of a wedding band. She and Fitch had planned a private ceremony in the months to come, and I was sure that she couldn’t wait to be his wife.
Well, two almost down…one to go---and that one was me. It was funny that I had always been the more stable one and now I was the one struggling to find my way.
A light knock on the door, and then Judge Fitch peeked his head in. He headed to get Jonah, said a few words to Reese, complimented the bride and every lady in the room, and then he was on his way. Another knock on the door and Reese looked around to see if Fitch had left anything of the baby’s behind, but I knew that knock…it was Devon.
“What’s up ladies,” he said entering the room. It was the first time I had seen him in a tux and boy did he look good…too damn good. The all white tux complimented his skin perfectly and the fit was just right. I wanted to peel it off of him piece by piece… and I planned to do just that later.
“Hey Devon,” Shanay said. Though they had only met him all of three times, my sisters seemed to be quite fond of him. Neither of them had had one bad thing to say about him. I guessed seeing what he drove and that he was a business owner, they assumed he was a good catch. They didn’t have the slightest clue that I had made him that way.
Devon seemed nervous. I knew him well enough to know that something just wasn’t right.
He looked at Shanay, and then at Reese and I before taking a deep breath.
“Shanay it’s your weddin’ day, and so it might as well be a day you’ll always remember,” Devon said.
What the hell is Devon talking about?
“Trina, you know you my baby,” Devon continued. I eyed him suspiciously as he walked to the door.
“So, I did a few things, and considerin’ dat’ my past ain’t all dat’ gravy baby, I came across some connects and---“ he opened the door and a man came in behind him. My mouth dropped wide open.
“Every girl deserves to have her pops walk her down the aisle on her wedding day,” Devon said with a smile and then looked at me.
I had known that it was Daddy as soon as he entered the room. He was an older version, but he looked exactly the same. We all, at the exact same time started to whimper.
How had he? Why would he?
I was at a loss for words.
How had Devon found our Daddy, and after all these years? Why would he do something so…amazing?
Daddy slowly approached us and all the hate, hurt and anger that either of us had toward him, immediately flew out the window as we all urgently embraced him. All four us cried together for a few minutes but it seemed like forever. Opening my eyes I saw Devon making his way to exit the room but I ran after him.
At first with tears in my eyes and streaming down my face, I just stared at him and smiled. I could never ever express my gratitude to him, nor could I ever show him just how grateful I was for him finding my Daddy. But what I could do was love him, and be faithful to him and make him apart of my world forever.
I opened my mouth to begin to fill his ears with praises but he shook his head. He touched the bottom of my chin and brought his face closer to mine.
He kissed me softly, just once.
“I love you,” he said and turned his back to me, walking away.
***
Leaving the jail, I decided that I was going to finally go by Kareem’s to talk. I had seen him, freaked him, but I had yet to talk to him about what was going on. I had already taken the Eric guy off of contract, early, though I wasn’t screwing him at all these days anyway, and unfortunately, Kareem was next on the list. It was fun while it lasted; all of it was, but after Devon found my Daddy, I owed him a fair shot at loving me…and me loving him, and only him, in return.
When Daddy showed up at Shanay’s wedding, we were all shocked and speechless to say the least. Devon had been in the drug game before, of course, and at one point he had even been involved in carrying drugs and weapons across the border. Although he had never been caught on such huge offenses, it had put him into contact with a few people that knew a few other people, and luckily one of his sources was able to locate our Daddy.
Daddy explained to us that he never remarried, never had more kids, and that for our own safety, he could never return to us. He said he had put our life in danger and in order to keep us safe, he had to pretend as if we didn’t exist. He said it had been the hardest thing that he had ever had to do…other than setting up to have his best friend, Papa Paul, killed because he had been the one betraying him the entire time. He stated that he had given up the drug business and had been living fairly well in Mexico. After all, he had taken millions of dollars with; and had left mama a few millions to take care of us with, though he never said the amounts. It wasn’t had to believe since he had spent years being the Top Dog in charge. Daddy was devastated to learn of Mama’s death and even more so when he found out that she had gotten remarried. He wanted to know what she had told the people at the court house for a divorce, but that is a question I didn’t have the answer to. I assumed Mama told them that he was dead…either that or sent the papers to another address and signed them herself. Trust me; we knew a lot of women that had chosen that illegal route.
Nevertheless, he told us how much he loved us and that he would never leave us again; though just in case, he was going to remain living in Mexico---but he still wanted to be a part of our lives. To see him walk Shanay down the aisle was like a dream come true. He hadn’t been able to walk me down for my first marriage, but he for damn sure would be walking me down for my second.
And I had Devon to thank for that.
I planned to spend the rest of my life showing him just how thankful I truly was. And that meant…no more dirty bonds…and no more Kareem.
Cutting Kareem off was going to be hard to do, since I felt such a close connection or bond with him. I was afraid that I was already in love with him and I was unsure if I was truly capable of leaving him alone. I was confused for the most part but I had to make a choice. Besides, I was sure that no matter how happy I was with Kareem, I loved Devon more and I would scream it to the top of my
lungs if I had to. What he had done had earned him my heart and I would do anything to keep him near.
“What’s up, I missed you today,” Kareem greeted me when he opened the door. The aroma of something exquisite harassed my nostrils and I passed by him, beating him into the kitchen. He was cooking lamb and it smelled mighty good to me. My mouth began to water and I figured our conversation could wait until after dinner.
To Kareem, he might as well not have been under contract at all. In his mind, we were already a couple. I believed that I had come along just in time. He had needed a little love and companionship. He had lost everything as well as himself and I guess in some strange way he had found himself again with me. He treated me like his woman, a queen nonetheless. There was no denying that he was falling in love with me…if he wasn’t already halfway there.
But I owed it to Devon to at least try.
Dinner was more than fabulous. I was full and I sat on the sofa, close to Kareem as he played in my hair and flipped through the channels on the television. I was hoping that he didn’t want sex…because I was definitely going to give it to him, but it would make what I had to say all the more difficult. As far as Kareem knew, I was single, and quite frankly, he had never even asked.
“Kareem?” I said in a low voice.
He looked at me, with big dreamy eyes.
He smiled showing his perfect teeth, almost making me want to rip his lips off and swallow them whole.
“I have to talk to you about something,” I said looking at him sternly.
The smile instantly left his face at the sight of my face full of seriousness.
“What?” he asked, somewhat unsure.
I took a deep breath, it was now or never…and never was just too far away.
“Well---“I began to say but was interrupted by the sudden lump in my throat. It had caught me by surprise, but I had about two seconds to make my move or my Gucci top would be covered in vomit…
***
Well, unfortunately, I was never able to have the conversation with Kareem and I probably never would.
I was pregnant…with his baby.
It was still shocking to me and I was so unsure of what to do about it. Of course I wanted to keep it, it was my first time ever being pregnant and I had always wanted a baby. But keeping it meant keeping Kareem and letting go of Devon. I was positive that the baby was Kareem’s. I was even sure of the day it had happened, since there were only a hand full of times that we had had unprotected sex and according to the number of weeks that I was, it just had to be his. During that time, I wasn’t sexually active with Devon, I was sure of it. Nor had I been screwing that guy Eric, so that only left Kareem.
I hadn’t bothered to tell Kareem the big news. He had never even questioned me on the throwing up incident. He merely assumed that something he had cooked simply didn’t sit well on my stomach.
Keeping my mouth shut for a while about the baby seemed to be my best option. I was just a few weeks pregnant so I had a little while to decide what I was going to do about it…unless I could find a way to have them both…Devon and the baby that is.
Devon had been asking about marriage again.
Everything in me wanted to say yes…might as well. Life is a funny thing. Just when you think you have it all figured out…you find out…you don’t. It was almost frustrating that just when I’d decided to let go of Kareem, and the whole dirty bonds operation, life threw one hell of a curve ball and from the looks of it I was about to strike out.
With Daddy being back in the picture, I could truly say that I felt a little more complete. It was more than obvious that all those years I had been using sex as my escape from reality and all of its reminders and disappointments. That’s not to say that my love for sex was going to go away over night, no I still needed it, regularly, but I was looking at things in a whole new light. I was ready to get my priorities in order…starting with Devon.
In the comfort of my home, I looked at Devon as he rubbed my feet. I smiled at him and he smiled back. I could tell that he was in one of his little nasty moods when his tongue grazed across my big toe. For the most part, lately, he had been better at giving me the business, on a regular basis but he still wasn’t the everyday type. But I had developed a strategy and at times I would simply make him---the times I wouldn’t just let Kareem do me instead. I had actually mentioned it to him in a playful manner and he had stated that he was so use to women that just didn’t give up the pussy like that.
Devon said his ex-wife would give him some maybe once or twice a month---if that. He said after awhile you just stop begging and learned to go without. Now I see why he signed the contract. He at least was an every week, maybe once, kind of guy. I didn’t understand women these days; especially those with a husband. If he wants it; give it to him. Hell, for the most part with all the pussy being thrown his way these days, you are lucky that he wants it at all. There’s some thirsty, insecure, needy woman that will gladly give him what he needs---if you won’t. Please your man, even if you don’t want to, with a smile on your face. It may not exactly keep him from cheating, but at least you did your part.
But, Devon needed to get with the program because surely I wasn’t that type of woman. He could have this cotton candy whenever he wanted it all he had to do was ask.
It was early Friday morning and my phone was on fire! Lucky You Bail Bonds had taken off far more than I had ever expected it to. Excluding those that I put under dirty bonds contracts, I had to have made thousands of dollars. Business was so good that I had even started helping women. Though I planned to stop the contracts, I figure that I would keep the business going. I had come to enjoy it and I had actually found something that I was good at and doing it all on my own. I hadn’t had a dirty bond since Kareem, so I had been doing everything legit and by the books lately. Doing away with my initial plan to screw my clients was soon to be a thing of the past. Yes, of course, there had been a few that had caught my eye but I was trying my best to not get myself into any more trouble than I was already in; especially since the knowledge that it is known in the streets that I signed men to have sex with me in exchange for posting their bail. I still had no idea who had ran their mouth but that was enough for me. I didn’t want any more parts of it. The contracts were out…including Kareem’s.
Shaking away thoughts of the business and the negative, I focused on the positive and allowed myself to continue enjoying Devon’s foot licks and rubs. Just as I had closed my eyes to relax, my phone started to sound off again. I glanced at it, thinking that it was another jail house call but it wasn’t, it was Private. Since Devon was right in front of me, I knew it wasn’t him, but I had a pretty good idea of who it was.
Stalker Alert.
I wasn’t in the mood for her shit this morning so I sent her ass to the voicemail….which apparently had done nothing but piss her off. She had to have called at least a hundred times. I had to turn my phone on silent to keep from hearing the phone vibration. I couldn’t, I wouldn’t change my phone number…I needed it, but damn it that’s it! I was going to fix her ass. I downloaded an app and blocked all private calls as well as calls that came up as unavailable. Granted I had had some legit callers call restricted or private in the past and there were even times that some numbers came up unavailable when they really needed help with a bond…but that was just too damn bad. It wasn’t like I needed the money anyway so it is what it is. I wanted to see if she was bold enough to call me now. If she wanted to talk to me, she was going to have to be woman enough to call me and talk to me…with her number unblocked.
Trying to hide my frustration, I asked Devon to come and lay with me. He stopped licking my toes and crawled behind me. He held tightly onto my waist.
“Devon, can I ask you something?”
“For sho’ baby fo’ sho’,” he answered. I shook my head. Business owner and all…it sure as hell hadn’t changed the way he talked.
“Why? Why do you love me?”
Devo
n hesitated for only a second.
“Why wouldn’t I? Shit, yeah, we met on some otha’ shit, but you smart, funny, and you got a heart of gold. Hell, you’ll help anybody…even strangers…hell you helped me. Somewhere in da’ midst of all the bull I fell in love wit’ ya’. I neva’ even felt dis’ way for my ex old lady, to be honest, I married her out of obligation fo’ her loyalty and shit when I was goin’ through and because she held me down. But you…you make me betta’. You make a brotha’ want more and shit. I love you to death, fo’ real,” Devon closed out his statement.
Though it was one hell of a way of saying it, incorrect grammar and all, I’d heard and understood everything he had said. And I was convinced.
No matter how badly I wanted this baby…I was going to have to get rid of it.
The next morning, I was up and ready to go handle the abortion business. I had lied to Devon and told him I had some bond business to tend to and I had also lied to Kareem and told him that I was spending the day with my sisters. Really, I had made the appointment earlier that week. I had made it all the way for Saturday morning, just in case Devon had the wrong answer to my question but fortunately, and unfortunately, he had had the right one. His love is real and I deserved a second chance at happiness.
I had gotten the information about the abortion client from Reese, who was the only other person that knew about the baby. She had volunteered to come with me. It was crazy that she had been the one to come with me as well as she had been the one to take Shanay when she had gotten pregnant by my husband. It made me wonder, just how many times had she been there for herself? I would be a fool to think that the answer to that question was none.